Am working on a river for my HO layout. My problem is blending colors for the river bed. I understand the need to do this, but haven’t yet developed a technique to blend the colors satisfactorily on a consistent basis. All the posts I’ve read mention blending, but don’t address how to do it.
I do not have an air brush, so I must use brushes, but just haven’t been able to get good results yet.
Will appreciate any/all suggestions as to techniques to use.
Any time I have seen blending described, sky or river bottom, it is done while the paint is still wet. Decide where you want deep spots or shallow spots, maybe just some light pencil marks. Not sure but I think I would start with the light color for the shallows, go over your lines somewhat into the next zone. The number of colors you use would depend on the type of bottom to your water. A stream, you might only use two colors, a deep lake with some shallow areas, maybe a couple more, made by mixing your two base colors in different ratios. Start your next depth away from the freshly painted and move toward it, overpainting and mixing the two colors. Try it on a scrap piece to get the hang of the blending and how large an area you can work in at once.
Good luck,
Assuming you’re using acrylics - they’re very fast-drying, so get yourself a misting spray bottle from, for example, a gardening centre. Fill it with clean water, set it to a fine spray and spray anywhere you need to blend, which will keep the existing paintjob workable.
Use soft brushes and gently swirl one colour into the next. Fingers are best of all. Wear thin disposable plastic gloves if you don’t want paint on you.
Even if the paint is already dry, misting it will still help soften the next colour you add.
The whole process will be much easier.
Mike
I have never done a water feature yet, but I have done rock face. I use cheap craft paint from Wall Mart and works great. I blend while it is still wet.
See if you can find some pictures you want your water feature to look like first! Most people do not look at what they see! I have seen millions of tress, but it was not till I got into this hobby that I stopped and really looked at a tree.
Cuda Ken
I used flat latex house paint, unthinned, applied with a 2" or 3" brush. Apply the colours “wet”, or, depending on the desired effect, use a “dry-brush” technique to add the second or subsequent colours.
Wayne
I use craft paint and a 3/4 to 1 inch brush:
I apply the dark blue first. Then the tan. Then I dip the brush in both colors to blend the two. You have to apply the paint thick and work fast to keep it from drying. Sometimes I add a bit of water to help things along.
Nick
Thx for all suggestions - I’m trying these and things are “shaping up”.
Thx again.[:)]